Engine installation frame



July 12, 1960 J. A. MUNN EI'AL ENGINE INSTALLATION FRAME Filed Nov. '7. 1955 7 ENGINE nssrArnArroNFRAMn Jay Albert Moon and John W. Schweikert, Hamilton,

and James E. phar and Donald F. Berning, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company -a.

corporation of New York Filed Nov. 7, 1955, Ser. No. 545,233 4 Claims. (Cl. 29-460) airplane. 7

In present day high-speed combatairplanes employing reaction or'jctengines, it is'customary for the engine manufacturer to ship the engine to the airframe manu-' facturer for installation in the airplane. Depending upon the type of aircraft, the engine may be installed in the nacelles in the wings or it may be iustalled in the fuselage of the airplane. Both in the original installation and in field changes of engines, it is; desirable, especially in the latter instance, to be able to installand remove the engine as quickly as possible and with a minimum of equipment and personnel. Generally speaking, the'present method of installing engines when they arrive on the site of the airframe, is to employ cranes to lift the engine from its shipping container and, for fuselage mounting to jockey the engine into position and slide it into the fuselage. Because of the geometry of the engine and airframe, this normally requires at least two cranes and results in changes signed to provide a relatively easy means of installing.

an engine in the airframe with due regard to theclose tolerances involved and which will, in addition, perform other useful functions not actually involved in the installation procedure as are set forth in the objects below.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an installation frame for a jet-type engine that permits relatively simple installation of the engine into the airframe and eliminates many operations and the extreme care normally require during the installation of an engine in an airframe. A further object of the invention is to provide an installation frame that is part of the original shipping container and serves, when removed from the shipping container, as an engine prep-stand.

Briefly stated, our invention concerns an installation frame for a jet engine designed to be shipped attached to the engine. as a support inside a conventional shipping container. The frame comprises a plurality of interconnected members including a track member which is used to support the engine by, means of rollers which are.attached'to the engine and movable in the track. A yoke matching the shape of an airframe bulkhead is attached to the front of the track. A rear semicircular or open travelling yoke is secured tothe rear portion of the engine such as the turbine frame by pins or the equivalent. The travel yoke is provided with rollers cooperating with the track. Suitable rigid framing supports the yokes and track in assembled relationship. Detachable and/or foldihg legs are provided for the installation frame which Batented July 12, 1960 line are erected after the engine is removed from the shipping container. The frame then serves as an engine prepstand for the mounting of accessories and the making of electrical and piping connections. In mounting the engine in the airframe, the front yoke of the frame is secured to the airframe bulkhead, a stop pin is removed from the front of the track and the engine is rolled into place in i the airframe on an aligned track that normally forms part of the airframe. The front yoke is then disconnected from the bulkhead after which the travelling yoke is disconnected from the engine by removing pins connecting it I tolifting bosses on the engine and the installation frame is removed. While the invention is especially useful for the installation of jet engines and is so described and illustrated, it will be apparent that its use is not 'so limited, e.g. it' may be used for removal and inspection of the engine.

' Our invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure l'is an end View of the frame as shipped, showing the shipping container and'engine in phantom;

' Figure 2 is a perspective view of the frame and engine arranged for preparation prior to installation;

Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the forward yoke structure and mounting means and;

Figure 4is a view similar to Figure 3 of the aft yoke structure and track mechanism. 7

Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown a shipping container 19 that is normally split in half along a longitudinal line and secured together by suitable means at flanges 11 with a lifting means 12 to facilitate loading. Engine 13 is floatingly supported by the frame within the container by means of tracks 14 that extend longitudinally of the container and are connected to the engine. Frame 15, which is dimensionally larger than the engine but smaller than the shipping container is disposed around the engine within the container and is connected to the engine by means of a hanging roller support, generally indicated at 16, which rides in a longitudinal track 17. Lifting means 18 are provided near the mid point of the track '17 as seen in Figure 2.

Referring next to Figure 2, the general arrangement of' the frame may be seen to comprise a forward yoke 19 which may be closed and is shaped to conform to the bulkhead of the airframe in which the engine is to be mounted. The forward end of the engine is supported from the yoke and track structure 17, which are secured at substantially right angles to each other or at an angle which is the supplement to the angle between the bulkhead and the axis of engine insertion. This support is by the aforementioned roller support structure 16, as seen in Figure 3. A preferably semicircular bracket member 2% is secured to the track 17 longitudinally of the forward yoke a suitable distance corresponding approximately to the length of the engine without the afterburner 21 attached. Yoke 19 and bracket 2t? preferably lie in paral- 161 planes and are connected together by suitable side guide rails 22in addition to track 117. Other suitable bracing members, such as 23, may be used to provide rigidity to the frame structure. The rear of the engine is supported from the frame structure by means of travelling yoke 24 which is carried by the track 17 through adjustable roller mechanism 25. Travelling yoke 24 is secured on each side of track 17 at its ends to suitable engine bosses by pin mountings 26 as best seen in Figure 4. Roller carrying arms 27 extend from yoke 24 to provide guiding contact with guide rails 22 for lateral stability. Thus, the engine is supported within the straddling frame structure at three points, the forward roller support 16 and the two aft pin mountings 26.

gasses 1 3 frame carrying the. engine, is removed from hipp g. co n r y any s ab e lift n mean 1 .11 as a fork truck, legs 28 may then be attached or swung down and locked in position. Legs 28 may be preferably pivotly connected to the frame and are carried in the dotted'position, as seen inFigure 2, when in the container. Legs'28fmay be adjustable, as shown in Figure 2 to level the engine to serve as a prepstand during which the accessories may be. mounted and checked, aind the various piping and electrical connections made. Side braces {29, which can he telescopic, maybe attached to the frame and to the legs topiroviderigidity if needed. braces 29 may, of course, be carried in the shipping container with the frame. Braces 29 may notbe required, but for the particular, embodiment showmare. preferable to provide the suitable rigidityreduired b y the. frame When the frame structure has beenset up as shown in Fignre. 2 for a prepstand, the afterburner, or tailconeand tailpipe 221, which is normally shipped separately, may be. attached to the engine in the, conventional man ner.

NZhile the engine is suppor ed, as shown in Figure 2, during preparation prior to installation, it is held infposition within the. track structure 17 at the forward end by locking pin Bil, seen in Figure 3, which prevents th e forward motion of the roller support 16. Suitable stops, not shown, arepro vided in the aft end of the track 17 to prevent the rearward motion of roller mechanism 25. Of course, the frame may be madeportable by supplying wheels or their equivalent on legs ZS; i i

The installation technique fora fuselage mounted en.- gine willnow be described. The fuselage of the airplane is normally broken and removed at a bulkheadsome distance forward of the aftend of the fuselage. For wardv yoke 19 is shaped to conform to or match the bulkhead where the fuselage is broken. Locating dowels 31 and. spacers 32 may be attached to the forwardyoke 19.; for, alignment with the airframe bulkhead The spacers 32.prohib it actual contact between the airframe; bulkhead andthe forward yoke 19 to provide-.a s pace therebetweenfor a purpose hereinafter described. Suitable bolts may extend through dowels 31 to attach the yoke 19 to the bu k-head or,'separate bolting means may be. used elsewhere in the forward yoke. The forward yokehas cutout portions or working openings 33 therein for the reception of the engine mounting trunnion as will be later explained. Having lifted the frame into mounting position, the forward yoke 19 is secured to the airframe bulkhead and may be held in position by legs 28 or by lifting means 1% or a combination of both or the mere securement of yoke 19 to the airframe usually is sufiicient if stabilizing for the airplane is not required.

The engine is now ready to be rolled into the airframe for mounting. Having secured yoke 19; to the bulkhead, the pin 34 is removed to free the engine for axial movement to the left as seen in Figure. 2. Track 17 is designed for alignment with a similar track contained within the airframe as a customary part of the.airframe structure.

The engine is rolled to the left as seen in- Figure 2 into the airframe to the desired position within the airframe as determined by suitable stops in the airframe structure. With the engine in the described position, mounting holes 345. become alignedwith cut out portions 33. which permit the. installation of engine supporting trunnionsinto holes 34 to support the aft end of the engine. The forward end of the engine is supported by the roller support '16 ascarried by the internal track which is part of the airframe and forms a continuation of track 17. Next, adjustable roller mechanism onthe travelling yoke 2,4 may beloosened to remove the tension on pins, 2s. With the tension removed, pins 26 may be withdrawn to free. the travelling yokefrom the engine. The engine is now completely free of the installationframe which-maythen'be. unbolted from the airframe and -removed.

While it has been described that the installation frame is supported by lifting means 18 and legs 28 during the installation of the engine, it will be appreciated that the mounting of yoke 19 to the bulkhead of the airframe is considered sufficient support and the use of members 18 and 28 is merely supplementary for safety purposes. The supported engine within the frame and the frame structure itself are designed to be carried by the bulkhead of the airframe. The installation frame may, of course, be returned for subsequent reuse with another engine or, it may be retained for rapid removal of installed engines. In addition, it may be used as a preparation stand and for the storage of engines with suitable covering means therefor. All such uses of the installation frame are contemplated because of its versatility and unique structure.

While a particul embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to hose kille n. he a a var o s changes d, mo ifisations m y be-ma w hou depa n from e vention and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that come within the true. spirit and scope of the invention.

Wha lai as new a d de i e t cu by e er atent s;

1. An'aircraft installation frame for transporting an engine; from a shippingcontainer for installation in an airframe adapted to fit over said engine in an engine shipp n on a ne c mp i g, a y e. n rm o an airframe bulkhead, alignment means to align and secure said yo e to n a ra e a h ad. an n epp i track connected to said yoke, a bracket secured to said track-at atp intrerno ed. om. h y k a travelling yok carried by said track longitudinally of said f rst yoke, and means cooperating with said track for supporting an enginetherefrom at a plurality of points, and leg means connected to said first yoke and. to the bracket to support theframe.

2. An aircraft engineinstallation frame for supporting engines. comprising, a.y0ke conforming to an airframe bulkhead andhaving means for securement to the aiI- frame bulkhead, a longitudinal track secured to said yoke'toextend at right angles therefrom, a bracket member secured to said track longitudinally of said yoke and in a plane parallel to said yoke, bracing means between said yoke, bracket, and track including guide rails substantially parallel to said track, a travelling yoke carried by rollers on said track and movablerelative thereto and having spaced engine supporting means thereon, means on. said travelling yoke cooperatively engaged with said guide rails for lateral support and guidance thereby, engine supporting means including a roller adapted to engage said track at a point spaced longitudinally from said travelling yoke, and leg supporting means secured: to saidframe to effect suspension thereof 3."An aircraft engine installation frame for straddling and-supportingengines and having overall dimensions less than" the shipping container for said engines comprising, a closed yoke memberfor securement to a matching airframe bulkhead, means for securing said yoke to a bulkhead in a spaced relation therewith, a longitudinal track secured to said yoke to extend at right angles therefrom, a bracket member secured to said track longitudinally of said yoke and in a plane parallel to said yoke, bracing means between said. yoke, track, and bracket including side guide rails parallel to said track, a travelling yoke carried by rollers on said track, means on said travelling yoke cooperatively engaging said rails for guidance thereby, spaced detachable engine supporting means on said travelling yoke, engine supporting means including a hanger roller adapted to engage said track at a pointspaced longitudinally o'fsaid travelling yoke, and leg supporting means secured to said frame to effect suspensionthereof.

: aircraft engine, installation frame for straddling and supporting engines and having overall dimensions less than the shipping container for said engines comprising, a closed yoke member conforming in shape to an airframe bulkhead, means for seeming said yoke to a bulkhead in a spaced relation therewith, means on said .yoke providing working openings therein, a longitudinal 6 single hanger roller adapted to engage said track at a point spaced longitudinally of said travelling yoke, and foldable leg supporting means pivoted to said frame to effect suspension thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 602,765 Morgan Apr. 19, 1898 628,069 Brown July 4, 1899 2,198,414 Panchuk Apr. 23, 1940 2,275,216 Broccoli Mar. 3, 1942 2,594,586 Ries Apr. 29, 1952 2,613,807 Higbee Oct. 14, 1952 2,696,310 Milewski Dec. 7, 1954 Herrmann Oct. 6, 1885 

